The present invention relates to a device for manually inserting and removing interchangeable flow-rate control orifice discs into or from a syrup supply tube of a post-mix beverage dispenser.
As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,306,667 to Sedam, et al., issued Dec. 22, 1981, it is desirable to utilize interchangeable flow-rate control orifice discs of selected orifice sizes in the syrup supply tubes of post-mix beverage dispensers. The orifice sizes are selected in relation to the brix of the syrup or flavor concentrate and the relative flow rate of the water (still or carbonated) with which the syrup is to be mixed to form the post-mix beverage.
The use of interchangeable orifice discs in syrup supply tubes is also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,270,673 to Rodth.
Heretofore, when the orifice discs were to be located within the syrup tubes near the output end of the tube in the mixing chamber region of the dispensing valve assembly, it was common practice to use stainless steel discs with slightly beveled edges to preclude damage to the syrup tubes at least during the insertion process. These discs were then press fit into the syrup tubes by a special tool and then removed from the tubes by a hook-shaped portion of that tool. Because the discs are very thin and the syrup tube walls are plastic, damage to the tube walls could result during removal thereof, and in most instances the disc would be destroyed, precluding reuse thereof.
This problem is avoided to a certain extent by the invention described in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 4,270,673 to Rodth which discloses a cylindrical plastic adaptor 98 with interchangeable orifice discs 100 seated on an inside shoulder thereof. This adaptor fits onto the outside end of syrup tube 82, the orifice discs 100 seating against the tube end. Therefore, with the adaptor of Rodth it is not necessary to insert the orifice discs into the tube or to remove them therefrom. However, the adaptor of Rodth, mounted on the outside of the syrup tube, takes up space in the valve assembly and may interfere with surrounding parts, making it difficult to retrofit the adaptor to valve assemblies of various manufacturers.